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Abmd70.108 net.columbia utzoo!decvax!duke!bmd70!jcp Tue Jan 5 22:44:00 1982 Aviation Week 12/28/81 -----------------------------------------------------------------------

A V I A T I O N W E E K A N D S P A C E T E C H N O L O G Y A R T I C L E S U M M A R Y

December 28, 1981 Vol 115, #26

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------------------- Galileo Reinstated in NASA Budget

NASA officials have expressed relief as the Administra- tion reinstated funding for the Galileo Jupiter orbiter/probe mission in the Fiscal 1983 budget, saving the US Planetary pro- gram for the 1980s and continuing some 1200 jobs at the Jet Pro- pulsion Laboratory.

The Centuar cyrogenic upper stage has been cancelled from the program however, necessitating use of the Boeing Iner- tial Upper Stage system, which will increase flight time by 24-30 months, resulting in a 1989-1990 arrival of the spacecraft at Ju- piter. The probability of the Centaur stage being reinstated is small, although the Defense Dept. has expressed some interest in it.

The International Solar Polar mission, a joint effort with the European Space Agence would also be affected by the Cen- taur cut, but without increasing trip time significantly

The Venus Orbiting Imaging Radar mission has been can- celled as part of the package which reinstated Galileo. The ear- lier Office of Management and Budget decision to cancel Galileo was reversed in a meeting between top NASA officials, OMB direc- tor David Stockman, and White House Chief of Staff James Baker. Major reasons for the shift were the loss of 1200 jobs at JPL, as well as the loss of international prestige and scientific return from planetary exploration.

The shift away from Centaur will force NASA to fly lower performance/lower cost missions to the planets in the fu- ture, awaiting increased shuttle capabilities, such as in-orbit assembly/platform operations.

------------------- Europeans continue Solar Polar plans

The European Space Agency is proceeding with plans to launch a solar polar observation spacecraft, despite NASA cancel- lation of its half of a two spacecraft effort. The Europeans are now seeking to move the launch data up, and to insure that remaining American committments to the mission will be met, in- cluding launch using the Space Shuttle, tracking and data ser- vices for the mission, and power generators for the spacecraft. Launch in 1985 is now being considered, a delay from the 1984 date originally planned, but not as bad as the 1986 date current- ly envisioned.

------------------- Fourth Ariane Launched

The fourth Ariane test launcher was successfully fired from Kourou space center on December 20th, into a geostationary transfer orbit. The main payload was the Marecs A maritime com- munications satellite, and after the launch the Ariane was de- clared operational.

------------------- Israel requests F-18

Israel has formally requested authority to purchase up to 150 McDonnel Douglas F-18A or Northrup F-18L fighters as part of an effort to secure an all-weather/night fighter force.

------------------- NORAD modernization contracts out

Ford Aerospace and Martin Marietta have been let com- petitive one-year definition contracts for the Space Operations Center Phase IV upgrade. One firm will be selected as the prime contractor for modernizing the Cheyanne, Wyoming NORAD complex at the end of the one year period.

------------------- Composite Wing Studied

McDonnell Douglas has been granted a NASA contract to study critical joint structures in wings using composite materi- als. This is a preliminary phase of a NASA effort to define a commercial aircraft wing using composite materials. The contract was for $990,100.

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Summary prepared by J. C. Pistritto (ARPA jcp@brl) (UUCP duke!bmd70!jcp)

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